


Light of My life

by DrizzlyMango



Series: To Each Their Own [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fate, How Do I Tag, I fill in gaps in the plot, M/M, Magic, Multi, Prophetic Visions, The prelude to To Each Their Own, dare I say slow build, i don't know how to tag, i'll add to this later - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2019-11-05 22:52:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17927906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrizzlyMango/pseuds/DrizzlyMango
Summary: A prelude to "To Each Their Own" where I explain background events, as well as Shiro's relationship with Adam. This will help some things make more sense. This also serves to fill in gaps and holes in the first few chapters of "To Each Their Own" where there is a continuity error.





	1. Origins

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't updated "To Each Their Own" in ages because I was working on this beast and A Dance with Daffodils. But in order to progress with "To Each Their Own" I had to finish this story. This can be used to clear up some things that are mentioned in "To Each Their Own" and is important to Ch 5.
> 
> Thank you for your patience. 
> 
> Also:  
> Adam's visions are broken up by *** and passage of time unless stated is shown by lines

The air was cold, his breath curled in clouds before him. This was the void. A soundless colorless cage. A spear of light shot across his field of vision, momentarily blinding him. He stroked a tentative hand across the rays of light watching as they expanded, shuddered and came to life.

***

There was a shrill scream, it bounced off the crystal walls of the Castle of Lions. A tiny babe was brought up to the King’s arms. Alfor’s face, beginning to weather with time pinched as he stared at the boy. Leandro let out a shrill cry, kicking his tiny legs. Alfor looked at the woman before him the one that bore him a bastard child. The midwife, Rosa watched in tense silence. There had been bastard born children in Altea before, though each situation was handled differently. Coran stepped forward laying a reassuring hand on Alfor’s shoulder. The advisor’s mouth moved, but there was no accompanying sound. Alfor hugged the child closer to his body, pressing a loving kiss to his son’s forehead before turning to Rosa. Her expression melted from tension to shock. Alfor reluctantly held Leandro out to her, silver lining his bright blue eyes. They all watched in fascination as the child’s markings flared at the pass. Watching as the text around his leg grew angry, growing then tangling in on itself further. “Bring him to see the Wranvyre’s I wish to see that my selfish decision will not drastically alter his fate.”

 

The light shimmered before swirling into flashes of a simple family, small, happy in all its simplicity. The baby with raven colored hair held fast to the fingers placed by his hands. One slender and purple, gently with a maternal caress. The other rich tan, calloused, the firm careful hand of a father… the colors melted again, swirling to the dark of night. There were shouts, the pained expression of the mother, tears staining her face as she leaves her husband and child. Anguish lining her every bone, she pushes past, words of love and longing, agony and grief a trail behind her… The same family though one less appears in the next swirl of color. The male gently hugs the boy now no more than 6 close to him. The boy blinks back tears, tiny hands clinging to the dark vest. Violet eyes as deep as the fabled oceans wavered. The child’s expression morphed into fear, pain swirling in the ocean’s depths. The golden flames licked at the pair, the boy, clutching a small hippo to his chest pitched forward after the male, cries spilling past his lips, hippo held in a vice grip. An anchor tethering him to the spot. The golden flames danced towards the boy, engulfing the male entirely, a small family emerged from the home. But the male did not. The tiny eyes stared and stared into the flame as it raged, as it consumed all the boy knew… the colors rearranged again settling on a smoking house painted crimson. The metallic tang to the air, a small hippo, with blood splattering the creature, macabre makeup. The boy sat in a pile of bodies, drenched in crimson, holding the intestines of the little girl in. Tears running lines through the caked on blood. His mouth moving in a litany of apologies. He held them still, as her milky eyes gazed forever towards the sky. He fumbled to put her back together like he could still fix what he’d done.

 

The smell of frankincense dragged his attention towards a new scene. A woman with long ebony hair that fell in waves to her waist, laughing along with the child hiding behind her skirts, as a broad male peeked over her shoulder, placing a finger to his lips as he wrestled the child, playfully tossing the giddy boy in the air. His black hair glinting silver and gold in the afternoon rays of the sun. The camp around them was decorated in varying tapestries. One with constellations of the night sky shimmering in the light of day. Frankincense turned to a charcoal like smell, and embers licked at the tapestries as the children were ushered towards one of the wagons. The little boy reached out a hand towards his parents as they stood in the carnage, thoats spilled over their fresh linens. The boy was placed in the wagon with the others. Agonized screams pierced the night air, but the boy sat frozen eyes glued to the shining stars, to the two that had never shone so brightly than tonight.

 

The smell of burnt batter, unfurled the next scene. The boys locking gazes before nodding. Around 8 and 10, the pair had slowly inched towards the room at the end of the hall, the lamps flickering from cool purple to warm orange in their presence. The younger boy with the eyes of the farthest galaxies stared at it like it was an alarm. The older, turned his warm taupe eyes smiled at the boy, reaching a hand around the tray to ruffle his hair, before the both made shushing sounds at the light waiting for it to return to its slumber. The brothers inched further down the hall, grins widening when they made it to the door. Opening it as quietly as they could, drawing in a big breath before screaming at the dozing males in the bed. Two Galran males jolted awake, taking up a defensive stance before relaxing at the sight of the brothers and their charge.

 

A warm presence pressed on his mind spinning him towards another vision. Towards night dark cliffs that swallow all the light around them. Watching with trepidation as the male, now grown. Broad shouldered and kind warm eyes stood, sword raised, in front of a group of tired and wounded men. He too was wounded, blood leaking from his temple, arrows littering his back and leg. One man versus and army. A Galran Commander stood before him, his officers in rank waiting around the camp. The male stood his ground, gritting his teeth through the pain ignoring the slick feeling of his blood sliding down his body. The male snarled, ears tipping from rounded to pointed, eyes turning a blazing gold. Sword met sword, the scrape of metal on metal grating.

 

He looked towards the new scene, watching with fascination as a house took shape around him. Watching as the Holt’s appeared dressed in clothing of the like he’d only ever read about. Katie in a long, silky, emerald green dress that was tied off at the waist. The belt was a shimmery metallic color, which was hard to place in the lighting. Colleen was dressed similarly though she has sleeves to her dress and it was a soft cream color. Matt was wearing an orange wrap though it was more on the ruddy side of orange, a navy belt in the same design as Adam’s own. He’d donned the same golden jewelry as Shiro, with an exception of the earrings. Sam was dressed in gray, with the same accessories as Matt… the vision altered to a point later in the night, where the everyone gathered at their dinner looked between Katie and the Kem male as Katie spoke in a foreign tongue. “ **Tongue...wrong.** ” Katie said in Kem, face scrunching over the undulation of the words. That gained some surprised glances from her family, all obviously unsure of when she’d picked up the language. “Oh sorry,” the male said, accent thick, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. The male said more though he couldn’t hear more than the deep baritone, breaking the daze when he laughed. Matt grinned, devious glint in his eyes. “Hey, **_Kit_ **, nice use of the language.” It took Katie a moment to realize what he called her before she kicked him under the table, much to unknown male’s  horror, realizing what he just started. He mouthed, “I’m sorry” to the adults at the table. They laughed, before wrangling the children. “Good job,” Adam teased taking a bite of his food.

 

A pair of golden eyes blinked at him, drawing him near, tempting him. The air had gone cold, like the winter in the Outer Capital, where ice caps were as beautiful as they were dangerous.

He peered through the darkness, squinting against the flat lines of the buildings. His heart stopped dead in his chest when he saw the silhouette of a male pressed to the roof of the building across from theirs. The dust clouds in the sky obscured th moon for a moment, tricking Adam into thinking it was all just a hallucination, only for his heart to rabbit into his throat when the moon caught the sight of the glowing gold in the petite purple clad figure’s eyes... The eyes narrowed to glowing slits before he vanished. Like mist in the night.

***

Adam groaned as the visions stopped spinning in his mind, glaring daggers through the canvas covered roof of the caravan. The visions were becoming more cryptic, and just more… everything. They were becoming more full immersions rather than just potential glimpses of what the fates could play. Adam felt the pressure building in his skull, the weight and strain of the gift finally rearing their ugly head. This was going to be a long journey.

 

* * *

 

Kolivan stood, arms folded behind his back surveying the list of officers available to assign on this next mission. A few name he skimmed over, eyes snagging on the newly rising officer, he’s barely out of Kit stage, but had been showing so much raw potential it was hard to ignore. It made sense it ran in his blood. His mixed blood, Kolivan deflatedly sighed, knowing this would not be a good mission to send Keith on, it would be too long and required calm long term strategic planning. Keith was all fire, it’s very essence seemed to crackle through his veins, leading him to trust his instincts, leaning on the side of recklessness. They was a factor they couldn’t afford with the scholars that would be accompanying him. He still has much to learn. Nolgrais a more conditioned officer was another likely choice, but Kolivan feared that the duration of the mission would pose an issue to the veteran. Antok would have been a choice but he was needed for one of the stealth missions coming up. So that left three others. Kolivan’s interest piqued at Takashi Shirogane’s name. He had a level head, and possessed a commanding aptitude the likes which had not been seen in deca-phoebs. His past successes in the field hadn’t gone unnoticed and he’s been promoted to the rank of Commander. He was well respected and commanding, but he was humble, a trait that made him a good leader. He was smoothed polished edges to Keith’s rough hewn ones. The pair were raised as brothers, both taken in as Kits. Shiro due to the untimely death of his half-mortal father and fae mother. Keith had been orphaned and found on the streets in one of the galra camps. The kit had inherited his father’s fae shifting abilities, and his mother’s galra instincts. Yes, he was half fae, half galra, though it seemed he didn’t realize he was part fae. Actually now that he thought about it, Kolivan realized both boys were ignorant of their lineage. Keith barely knew of his Galra side, but assumed it was some sort of monster form. His fae shifting allowed him to slip into his galra side that resembled many in the refugee camps. Ears, claws, eyes, some bore tails and others sprouted fur. Keith had remained mostly human in form but he had his days. Shiro hadn’t balked at his part-Galra brother though. He didn’t see it as a barrier, because not all Galra were bad. The Blade were a physical representation of that.

 

Kolivan rubbed the bridge of his nose, long white braid falling from its perch around his neck. It was decided. Shiro would be escorting the scholars to the rift, he had a week before they were set to arrive, which means the absolute latest he can tell the Commander is tomorrow.

 

Shiro wiped the sweat from his brow, black hair stuck like rivers of ink to his forehead. Keith was across from him, in similar shape. The teen had come back from a mission and was still running high on the adrenaline. He’d been on a weapons scouting, and recovery mission. It was successful only minor injuries reported, but most had been in the haste to return.

 

“ **Well Kit, I’d say your improving.** ” Shiro huffed. Keith’s chest rose and fell rapidly punctuated by his panting.

  
“ **I’ll kick your ass next time, mark my words.** ” to which Shiro threw his head back and laughed, skin tan from the sweltering Kem sun.

 

“ **Boys!** ” The pair jumped, turning towards the voice to find a disgruntled Ulaz. The man’s pale skin complimented his pale yellow eyes. Ulaz was an albino Galra, he had next to no fur like the third line of galra genetics, which meant the flush from chasing after them was very apparent. Galra have violet blood, the fae have blue, Alteans and humans have red, anyone of mixed races have a shade of violet blood or the color of their dominant blood. So Ulaz appeared purple in the face, swinging a soup ladle at them. _When did he pick that up?_

 

 **“Kit,”** Ulaz addressed Keith, his face darkened. He hated the name, and sure he wasn’t exactly a child anymore, but he was still tiny by galra standards. Shiro snickered from beside him.

 

 **“Shiro”** Ulaz chided, eyes near glowing. Shiro snapped his lips shut at the tone.

 

 **“Boys I thought that it was tradition to eat after missions.”** The brothers spared a glance at one another, horror sinking in their gut. Ulaz and Thace couldn’t cook, no matter how hard they tried. Though Thace’s food was only marginally more edible than Ulaz’s.

 

 **“It’s take out.”** Ulaz deadpanned, causing the pair to laugh.

 

Over a family dinner Keith regaled them with details of the mission, about the number of weapons found. He’d even found ice lances! He chattered on about the ice, and how it had come in handy when his leader had miscalculated their water reserves and they used the ice lance to help create safe water. That's the problem with the baren climate of Kem. It was also why there were so few cities. Kem was mostly a nomadic people, Shiro’s family had once belonged to them, but that was long in the past. They’d travel to different oasis stops, take in the dangerous beauty of the desert and weathered cliffs. There are plenty oases throughout Kem, though the Capital city’s is the most impressive. It’s the largest in the country, and there are a series of aqueducts that bring water from the mainspring throughout the city. People are cautious with the water, and there are those with water affinities that help maintain the safeness of it. They’re covetted in Kem, it’s salvation if you will.

 

Because of the scattered nature of Kem it is the Blades who run the country, they ensure the safety and protection of its people. They also communicate through messenger hawks. A creature native to the lands. The ruddy brown color to their feathers helps them blend into their surroundings and transfer their messages. One of the messenger hawks had perched itself on the window with a soft click of its talons on the stone. It was Thace who retrieved the letter, seeing Kolivan’s neat script across the page. Though it was addressed to Shrio, the male had only been back for a week, so it was rare to be sent on another mission so soon. Thace handed the sealed briefing to Shiro, who stared at it in shock.

 

Keith was vibrating in his seat, eager to know if it was a message that details could be shared. If it was a mission he could help prepare for. Save for the three males in the room, there were a very select few others Keith trusted, even fewer with mission intel. Shiro’s eyes scanned the words, again and again. Before folding the paper and rubbing at his eyes.

 

“ **Mother above** ” He breathed. There were a series of worried glances around the table before Shiro waved them off.

 

“It’s a long term mission. I’m an escort it should be about a three month expedition to the rift, not counting how long it will take for them to prepare to leave Kem. I meet my charges in two days time. I am to start making preparations, and I must meet with Kolivan in the morning until they get here.” The family all nods. _Three_ months. Ulaz tipped his head to the sky mumbling out a prayer, in an archaic form of Kem, so closely related to Galran. The last time anyone in the family went on a long term mission it was Thace and it was nearly a suicide mission in Galra territory. He’d barely escaped with his life. He still has the scars from it. It was Ulaz who had held the family together in those trying times. To say there was a weariness to long term missions was an understatement. Conversation dwindled after that, each stuck in their own thoughts. They finished their meals, departing to do their own things for the rest of the night, though the parent’s gazes lingered on their kits.

 

Shiro had gone to his room retiring for the night. He’d sat at his desk going through files on the neutral territories to better understand his charges. He recognized one of the names, a mortal by the name of Sam Holt. He’d been on a mission with him before, back when he was starting as an officer. Matt Holt rang a bell, and Shiro was able to dredge from his memory that he was Sam’s son. Adam Wranvyre, though, that was a name he didn’t know. He was going to look into the mysterious third member of his team.

 

He’d just settled down to review his knowledge of the common tongue, papers strewn about. He had every intention of fixing that, but there was a soft knock on his door, and he saw Keith leaning against the frame. Shiro inclined his head, and Keith entered the room to lean against his desk instead. The boy just pauses there, looking around nervously, toying his lip between his sharp canines. His scalera glowed a pale yellow in the dim lighting of the room.  

 

“ **Three months.** ” Keith says quietly. Shiro blinks, _oh no_. Keith isn’t good with separation, and this would be three months without him.

 

“ **Oh Keith,** ” He breathed. Keith’s lip quivered, the tough guy persona all but melted away. He takes a shuddering breath.

 

“ **It’ll be a simple meeting, just to the rift and back. Nothing will happen. I’ll be coming back.** ” Keith's violet eyes watered, nodding, biting his lip. He blinked, face pinching before saying,

 

“ **But you can’t promise that.** ”

 

“ **Watch me, I promise you, Keith, that I will come back.** ” The younger pulled Shiro into a hug, squeezing tight, pressing his face into his chest.

 

“ **Don’t worry,** **_Kit_ ** **, it’ll all work out.** ” He heard Keith growl at the name.

 

From the doorway Ulaz and Thace stood, finding it hard to truly believe in those words. Ulaz held tight to Thace, shaking slightly. He trusted his instincts and something about this was screaming wrong. But they’d trust in Shiro. That’s what family did, trust. They’d wait for their son to return.

 

Shiro had been instructed to meet Kolivan first thing in the morning as the two would discuss the mission in full over breakfast. Though that left the matter of clothing. Did he need the Blade suit or would it be Kem finery? He was answered by a series of clicks, and the ruffling of feathers. ** _“Wear your Kem attire, go for a thicker belt though, and a less see through wrap if you will. Don’t go overboard with the accessories. LIMIT THE KOHL.”_** Shiro laughed. It was one time, and no one would let him live it down. He donned his attire, opting for a purple belt, and a black wrap. He chose one of his more modest necklaces, the the gold wrapped around his neck, and rested on his shoulders, the bottom dipping low past his collarbones. He limited the earrings, as much as he did the khol. He’d become Keith’s guinea pig once he’d been officially recognized as a piercer in the Blade, so he always had earrings in. He opted for a simpler look and went with a couple of crawlers and studs. He slung his bag over his shoulder before heading off to his meeting.

 

* * *

 

The room was cool, and dark. Very dark, Adam decided. It was lit by low burning flames that flickered from a soft blue-ish purple to a rich orange as they sensed people coming towards them. At the shifting light the pair of males at the table glanced up, and Adams breath hitched. It was him. The man he’d been seeing in his dreams. A large table of sunstone separated the males from the travelers, who’d been escorted by a male in a second-skin like suit of deep indigo. The male in question was dressed in traditional Kem gear, and was built. _Very_ built. He stood tall, and though his face betrayed nothing, his eyes sparkled with curiosity. It was Sam who introduced them. Adam’s family hadn’t had the resources to join him on his journey and he’d assured them he would be fine. They’d sent him off with teary eyes. Going as far as to give him a send off that resembled an Altean funeral, minus the dead body and the sea part. It unnerved Adam to no end but he chose to look past their unofficial goodbye. The rest of the Holt family had tagged along, but they’d go their separate ways once the team left for the rift.

 

Adam knew then that the dreams he’d been having were in fact part of his psychic prowess. It was in his blood, and it was both a blessing and a curse to see a potential for things yet to come. They weren’t always in order, nor were they always the outcome that happened but it was the most likely course of fate given miniscule actions that led up to it. But when the visions turned dark, well that's when the curse began. You can’t exactly change the future, but you can prepare. If those dreams are anything to go by then it’ll be an interesting experience indeed. He couldn’t meet the man's eyes without turning a spectacular shade of scarlet. Adam knew exactly what he sounded like before the man opened his mouth. Knew the range of intimate sounds they could draw from one another, knew that-

 

Adam tuned back in as he was introduced, and he watched sparks flash behind the male’s eyes. They were a rich brown, but in the lighting they looked a dark charcoal. He inclined his head in greeting but did not yet speak, he stood at attention next to the leader of the Blade who had agreed to their request. Adam turned when he heard Katie gasp, tugging on her mom’s tunic,

 

“Mom, look he’s wearing a skirt too!” She beamed. Had it not come from the mouth of an “alleged” child it may have been taken as an insult, but much to Adam’s surprise the two males laughed. Katie grinned, though Colleen looked embarrassed, for good reason seeing as Katie was about thirteen. It was the shorter male with hair the color of the space between stars that spoke next, and in the common tongue no less. A soothing deep baritone.

 

“Hey Katie how are you?” Shiro beamed. The girl looked at him eyes going wide before she threw herself at the male, hiccuping through giggles. He caught her and swung her around lightly, before reaching out with the hand not hanging on to the little girl punching Matts arm. He knew the Holts then. Shiro lowered Katie to the ground though she still clung tightly to him, arms wrapped possessively around his middle. He walked over to Adam, holding out his hand,

  
“My name is Takashi Shirogane, Commander of the 11th faction I will be traveling with you on your mission to the rift.” Adam took his hand in his surprised to find the grip gentle, yet firm.

 

“Adam Wranvyre, Scholar of the Citadel.” Shiro whistled at the title releasing his hand. Scholars were no laughing matter, and the Citadel was the hardest education system to be admitted to.

 

“Wow, impressive.” Shiro said, accent rich and thick curling on the words.

 

“Not too bad yourself, Commander.” Shiro laughed. He turned his attention back to the other male with Galra like markings, though almost human looking. Were it not for the sheer height, and yellow eyes you wouldn't be able to tell this male was a galra… well not at that distance, but as he approached with the others he could see fur that increased saturation of purple.

 

There were a few more customary greetings before Shiro was asked to escort them to where they’d be stay and to fill them in on Kem culture and a bit on the language. While Shiro didn’t really see the point of this, you don’t ignore orders. So he escorted the family to where they’d be staying, one of the guest houses by the base. It wasn’t that long of a walk, maybe a mile at most to the base. It wasn’t really all that much, but he soon realized that they were all over dressed. He hoped that Lonnie and Soreth had remember to stock up the guest house before they got there, clothing included. There was a village of guest houses for families and refugees embarking on missions with the Blade. They were all temporary, however, members of the Blade lived in close proximity to the base, but among the other inhabitants of the Capital city.

 

Shiro brought them to their assigned to house number “ _14_ ”. It was towards the middle of the village. The houses were made of the black clay from the onyx cliffs, the inside treated to keep the living environment temperate because it could get rather cold at night. The village had its own spring, and Shiro informed the others of spring etiquette, and answered some general questions from Colleen, and Matt.

 

Adam was starting to get a headache. _Maybe it was the heat?_ That’s what he told himself but he knew, it was another vision. He just prayed he’d be able to control himself until he had some privacy. A flicker of worry pressed somewhere at the back of his mind, and he caught a flash of concern from Shiro, gone as quickly as it appeared. The feeling remained though. He hoped that the other would leave it alone, that he’d think it was just because he was tired from their travels. They entered the house, Katie dropping her bag, pulling her brother along, to go explore. Sam shook his head laughing, watching his children go scampering down the hall. Shiro had asked them if they could check the closet, and pantry for clothing and food, he didn’t want to intrude. There was food, though it was obvious that they were unfamiliar with some of the fruit, and meat. Shiro had explained how to eat the fruit as he remembers that fruit from the neutral territories is usually softer. Fruit in Kem has hard, waxy exteriors, but the insides are soft and juicy. As for the meat some of it would be better tasting if cooked until tough, one rack of meat in particular was met with skepticism by the Holt’s. Colleen squinted at it, trying to make out what manner of beast it’d come from. Shiro laughed explaining that there were some unique desert creatures and their meat was considered a delicacy. It was a rack of king scorpion meat. Free of toxins and poison. Shiro confessed that they could bring some of it into town to have some of the locals cook it if they were unsure of how to cook said food.

 

Adam had excused himself to go find his room. He’d let the Holt’s choose first, and it seemed the siblings were already ahead of him in that regard. The guest house was large enough that there were enough rooms for everyone to have their own. It looked moderately sized from the outside but upon entering Adam realized much of the house was below the surface level. It extended for a few floors. One for an entertainment area and bathroom, and one for bedrooms. He took the bedroom by the stairs dropping his stuff into his room, and closing the door to prevent interruptions from the siblings wandering about the lower levels.

 

Adam had only brought what he thought was necessary for the trip, his notes, clothing, and a few personal effects. He set the crystal down on the bed. It was softer than it looked. He held the apophyllite sphere in his palms, leaning back on the bed, eyes closed. The room and crystal glowed, filling the room with a warm thrum of power. His eyes snapped open, deep blue leached from the irises, staining them a sickening milky color, as the visions came and went.

 

***

A purple clad figure dropped from the rooftop, those haunting eyes again. The Male said something to Shiro. The pair going back and forth in Kem, though it appeared that the smaller male was doing most of the talking. The vision came and went bleeding into a new one.

 

Keith sat at the table. The monster within leeching off of his pain. He’d been abandoned, she’d left him. Wait- not thats not right. It didn’t matter. No matter that they said she didn’t want to, it didn’t change the fact that she did. Eyes glowing and claws bared, curled up in his closet. That's how Shiro found him. It was from that moment on that Keith realized how important Shiro was to him. He was terrified, of himself, of what he might do, but Shiro wasn’t afraid, never , he’d assured Keith. Shiro calmed him down, soft soothing words and gentle rocking. Shiro was strong and brave, no matter what happened. He never judged anyone, only ever tried to understand them. He began to realize that Shiro had always been his stability. Shiro’s reassurance and calmness kept the monster in Keith at bay.

 

A pair of figures stand on a hill overlooking a small grassy plain. Below the hill is a group of people Adam feel’s he should recognize. A woman stands there, a wolf between her and another. A broad shouldered male with a dominant stance. The trio look out to the world, wind ruffling their dark hair. The male turns, a grin that’s blinding, and overcome with emotion. The scene melts into an escape…

 

Branches broke with each step, leaves and gravel scattering like dust in the wind. His breath came in ragged gasps. The mask hindered his breathing, its muzzle digging in to the bridge of his nose, drawing rivers of blood down his face. His heart thundered in his ears. “After him! Don’t let him escape!” It was the woman. The witch that had screamed after him, the one that did all these terrible things to him. The burning pain from his stump coursed through his body dragging out a wail. Faster he pleaded. He pushed harder chest heaving, tears staining his face. The branches tore at him, stay they whispered. He’d been here long enough. He needed to get away. The emotions stole his breath away completely. His chest burned. With a thud he hit the ground, blood splattering everywhere. The fall had loosened the mask enough for oxygen to flood his lungs. “Please,” he pleaded. The forest sang in answer, a path lit up ahead, dark and spongy enough to suck up his trail of blood. He pushed off the ground, careening forward, balance off without a limb. The forest loomed around him. Trees ancient and standing proud, casting out any semblance of light. Bioluminescent algae and moss covered the earth. Small critters humming about, following him with interest. Shiro grit his teeth, blood dripping from the bridge of his nose, Galra mask discarded somewhere along the mossy earth. His shirt forming a makeshift tourniquet around his right bicep. Body torn up, and changed. It’d been so long since he’d seen the world outside the prison camp. He escaped, barely, but he did. His breath clouded in front of him in shallow puffs. He’s lost so much blood. He feels more than sees his surroundings shift. The world coming into focus with stunning clarity. Senses razor sharp, fangs worrying his lower lip. He was too delirious to care, then an agonizing pain shook his his body. Shiro doubled over with a scream, hand clutching at his head, the blinding pain feeling like it was splitting him in two. A small tendril of black ink curling around inside his head, burrowing down, down, down. “Champion ” it cooed. He welcomes the darkness that takes over.

 

The young prince sat, legs hanging on the back of the chaise. Watching the advisor ramble from a tome. Watched as the Prince questioned all he’d known, watched as the fated began working anew, altering his fate again, in his future a pair of haunted glowing jewel colored eyes. Two boys with everything and nothing. Reaching out, souls searching, crying for another.

 

“Keith,” He began. Keith felt the walls collapsing, felt the air being pulled from his lungs, felt the cold claws creeping up his spine, ready to shoot out at any moment. He blinked furiously, eyes beginning to glow, teeth shifting and piercing his lip. “No” Ulaz sighed. “Keith listen there's something you need to hear,” “No” Keith repeated, voice hoarse. “Please sit down it’s about your brother,” Keith snapped. Hissing and growling, the beast had taken over, dragging Keith lower and lower below the surface, into the burning pit of despair.

 

The Princess sat in her rooms, talking with the son of her enemy. Consorting with the enemy while her people suffer at his hand. They talk of their days, the burdens of being young rulers and the burdens that accompany them. They talk of longing for approval. The princess stands amongst the stars, hand reaching towards a fading figure.

 

Katie sits tinkering with a piece of Galra tech that she and her friend retrieved from the outskirts of the neutral zone. In taking it apart they were trying to figure out how integrated tech worked. It wasn’t to the same level as Alfor’s but it was ominous. Tainted almost. She called out to a tall male, who was running diagnostics on another piece of the puzzle while urging a third party about the growing concern on the border.

 

They sat perched on rocks. Looking over the wet expanse of the salt flat. Watching as the sky dropped debris of space rock to the ground. Real eloquent Adam thought to himself, snorting lightly. Shiro and Adam sat pressed shoulder to shoulder and watched as hundreds of pieces of a comet scattered to the earth, their tails streaking the sky a kaleidoscope of colors. Shiro says something that sends the both of them toppling off the rocks, they lay flat on their backs, water soaking their clothes and hair. Adam repeats the phrase back to Shiro, as time seems to melt into oblivion. They get lost in each other. Eyes like galaxies. Adam saw himself reflected in Shiro’s eyes. Watched with bated break as Shiro shifted pausing a hair's breadth away from him. Eyes searching for something. Adam closes the gap watches surprise light up Shiro’s face before he’s pressing back. It was bliss. It was eternity.  Lips locked under the stars, and the world stopped then started again. All the pieces in alignment.

 

***

 

He came to with a shuddering gasp, eyes stinging. He gently placed the crystal beside him, rubbing at his eyes. There was a soft knock moments later and Sam popped his head in. The man had taken Adam under his wing, and was very much another father figure to him. He knew of Adam’s affinity, had even helped make a smaller crystal for adam to have on him at all times, it was attached to a pendant that he always wore. It was a crutch, he could manage the visions without the crystal but something about channeling the energy elsewhere had always soothed the ache left behind. Sam sat next to him on the bed, rubbing a hand across his back. Adam sits up, grabbing his glasses from their case in his bag. He has to wear them after visions because of the ocular stress and general headache. Sam doesn’t ask questions and Adam is really thankful for that. He saw a boy with night black hair and violet eyes, one who would be key to something in the future. A pawn in a plan that his visions had yet to explain.

 

“Shiro is returning for dinner, in a few Varga until then we can get settled in, and discuss the plan for the journey as well as learn more about this land. There's no rush, take your time and join us when your ready.” Adam nodded his thanks. Sam was getting up to leave before he remembered. “Oh and there's Kem clothing for you it’s rather comfortable.” Adam nodded again, waiting until Sam left before flopping back onto the bed.

 

* * *

 

There was a loud crash and Adam opened his eyes, groggy but determining that it was coming from upstairs. He heard voices, the Holts, but that same baritone from earlier in the afternoon. _Oh no_ . He’d fallen asleep. He jumped up before throwing open the closet. There were a variety of Kem clothes to choose from. He hadn’t the faintest clue what to wear. He’d seen the dinner weeks ago. Everyone was in the Kem clothing so it wouldn't be too bad. He held one of the wraps, it was an olive green color. It wasn’t too see through, he sighed grabbing a black belt from the closet. He didn’t know if jewelry was necessary so he stuck to his personal necklace. His ears weren’t pierced so he couldn’t use any of the earrings they’d left for him. He opted to not wear shoes. Adam eyed his reflection. The wrap fit snugly, though that was mostly the belt that came down in a cloth covering the space between the “V” of his hip. He flushed, this was rather revealing. His dormant marks flared a vibrant chartreuse against his tan skin. Only his family knew they were Altean. They’d escaped many of the horrors that had befallen their motherland at the hands of the then Daibazaal’s Emperor Zarkon. He grew up listening to his parents and grandparents speaking the language, the rolling sounds of it bringing a dampness to his eyes. He willed his emotions back under control, fiddling with the crystal. “ **Lend me your strength.** ” He muttered to his Altean ancestors. He breathed out, echo of a headache burning behind his eyes, he’d manage, at least he’d willed the Atlean marks to hide again. Due to the Atlean’s chameleon like ability he could present as a human, though his Altean was blood dominant. He mustered up the courage to head upstairs, opting to wear the glasses to keep the headache away. He approached on soft feet peeking into the room before entering. The family were all between the kitchen and the dining room. It was obvious they were waiting on him, his face was on fire. At least the others had changed into Kem clothing as well. Katie was pestering Shiro in a long, silky, emerald green dress that was tied off at the waist. The belt was a shimmery metallic color, which was hard to place in the lighting. Colleen was dressed similarly though she has sleeves to her dress and it was a soft cream color. Matt was wearing an orange wrap though it was more on the ruddy side of orange, a navy belt in the same design as Adam’s own. He’d donned the same golden jewelry as Shiro, with an exception of the earrings. Sam was dressed in gray, with the same accessories as Matt. Colleen was the first to spot him,

 

“Oh, Adam! Your awake.” He blushed, apology on the tip of his tongue.

 

“Oh dear, I hope your headache is better.” Sam said, readying for a speech about the science of headaches. Colleen shook her head, guiding Adam to the seat next to Shiro, the one between him and Matt. He let himself be led, the dull ache sharpening with the added chaos of meal time.

 

“I like your glasses, you didn’t have them on earlier did you?” Shiro murmured, though there was a question in his words. _Are you alright?_

 

“Thanks, and I only need them sometimes.” _It could be worse_ , was the admission. Shiro nodded, attention going to Colleen as she and Sam brought over food.

 

The meal was civil enough, Shiro asked about science and their studies. About their lives back home. About anything really. Though, the Holt’s responded in kind matching him question for question. Adam learned about general geography of Kem, about the rebel Galra forces, and rebel factions in general. Shiro corrected their Kem so they didn’t accidentally offend locals, apparently there is a very slight difference in how you pronounce “goodbye” and “cunt”. It's all in a very slight stress on the first syllable. Why they made a language like that he’d never know.

 

“Shiro this is a long mission, is your family okay with that?” Adam felt his heart squeeze at Sam’s statement he missed his own family and it's only been about a week for them. Though maybe it was due to all the visions as of late. The Altean portion of their magic lay as oracles, so there is a long line of Wranvyre’s who were seers. The visions came to each of them differently. Adam had vivid flashes and full immersions. Lately its been full immersions of those seated at this table.

 

“Thace and Ulaz were alright with it,” He paused. “Though I do worry about how Keith will handle it.” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“Thace and Ulaz? Keith?” Adam asked.

 

“Yeah, my parents and my kid brother. Keith’s a bit of a handful but **we love the kit, well he’s not really a kit anymore. He gets mad when we call him that.** ” Shiro stated, then glanced around the table at the mix of expressions.

 

“ **What? Did I say something wrong?** ” Shiro asked panicked, the words rolling. It was a different sound to the delicate balancing act of speaking Altean.

 

“ **Tongue...wrong.** ” Katie said in Kem, face scrunching over the undulation of the words. That gained some surprised glances from her family, all obviously unsure of when she’d picked up the language.

 

“Oh sorry,” Shiro said, accent thick, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “Ummm yeah Keith is my brother but we call him **_kit_ ** because he’s kinda short for his lineage.” Shiro laughed. Matt grinned, devious glint in his eyes.

“Hey, **_Kit_ **, nice use of the language.” It took Katie a moment to realize what he called her before she kicked him under the table, much to Shiro's horror, realizing what he just started. He mouthed, “I’m sorry” to the adults at the table. They laughed, before wrangling the children.   

“Good job,” Adam teased taking a bite of his food. Shiro’s breath hitched, before he let out deep laugh. The table had fallen back into easy conversation after that.

 

“So, Adam, got any stories about what happens at the Citadel outside of classes?” Shiro inquired. Adam choked a bit on his drink, pulling himself back to the present.

 

“Well, I suppose that depends then.” He says cautiously glancing around the table to gage the attention of the others. He meets Shiro’s charcoal eyes and tenses at the cocked eyebrow.

 

“Oh do tell.” Shiro drawls.

 

“Well, there was this one time we were preparing for our examination week the one before your promoted to official scholar and one of the acolytes had slipped into the Maesters lounge and found a bottle of Milk of the Poppy, and that was a wild night.” Adam began.

 

“We didn’t drink it, but we found a way to vaporize it,” Adam paused to make sure the Holt’s weren’t paying attention. Last thing he’d want is to give Matt or Katie any idea, they two were still very impressionable.

 

“Let me tell you that was one of the greatest nights of my life. All the testing anxiety melted away, everyone let loose, we learned a lot about each other. Plus Neven was an excellent lay.” Adam said casually, but Shiro choked on his drink. The holt’s paused momentarily to ask if Shiro was alright to which he assured them he was, just surprised was all. Adam’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

 

“I don’t suppose you have any interesting stories from missions or training you’d care to share.” Adam said, swirling his drink in his glass. Shiro stared with wide eyes before they drifted closed in thought.

 

“Have you ever been to an initiation ceremony?” Shiro asked Adam. A tiled head and furrowed brows was answer enough.

 

“The Blade of Marmora are known as the leaders and protectors of this land. Positions within the Balde are well sought after and to be accepted you have to complete trials. The trials are meant to push you in ways you never thought possible. Your fears, your greatest desires, your future, your everything. The trials are meant to test your resolve, your drive to complete the mission. Lets just say that the Blades don’t pull punches either.” Shiro’s gaze drifted to the long slice across his left forearm.

 

“After the trials, for those that can complete them there's a ceremony. An initiation if you will. From recruits to cadets. We stay in barracks within the factions when we get split into companies, or factions, for initial field work. There's twenty-three of them. They get split up by specialty. I was in the 11th faction, which specialized in battle tactic. It was equal parts brain and brawn. That group becomes like your family for the next few months. Its tradition to get to know the veterans in the cadet program. The ones on their way to permanent field positions and promotions. But there's essentially a **hazing situation**. Umm sorry, I don’t know the common tongue for it… but it’s like a ritual the new cadets do that all their predecessors did before them. Each faction has different rituals, some darker than others. But 11th’s had to do-” Shiro paused looking towards the Holt’s to make sure that they weren’t paying attention.

 

“It basically turned from giant tangled knot of arms to a crazy orgy.” This time it was Adam that spewed water across the table. Shiro’s face was dusted pink, but the smirk was blinding. Adam’s reaction pulled the Holt’s from their peaceful conversation on renewable magical sources for integrated tech, two glance between the two.

 

“No way,” Adam pushed.

 

“Oh, yes way. There was so much happening at once, remind me to tell you the details when we have less of an audience.” Shiro winked. Adam’s face burned scarlet.

 

“Did we miss something?” Sam asks with genuine curiosity.

 

“Oh, no you didn’t sir, Adam was just telling me of the trip to Kem, I hear it was quite the journey.” Shiro says with a bright disarming smile. Adam’s eyes widen, huh, who’d have thought.

 

“Oh, that it was. It was a long journey, we got to travel with a caravan!” Sam said excited, though Colleen frowned at the shadows lingering in Shiro’s eyes. Adam watched with rapt attention as Shiro and Sam bantered about the deserts and canyons, and the rare oasis town that produced natural ice, noticing how the smile didn’t shine in his eyes any longer. Adam shot a look to Colleen who sighed and nodded to the children whose attention was dwindling. Katie had taken to stealing food off Matts plate when he wasn’t looking. For teenagers they acted a lot like small children.

 

“So, Shiro you have a brother? What was that like? Growing up with siblings. I’ve only ever been really close with cousins who were kind of like siblings.”

 

“It's interesting”

 

“That's an understatement” Matt mutters. Katie sticks her tongue out at him.

 

“Any sibling stories?” Katie asked Shiro. He made the same face as earlier trying to pull memories.

 

“Hmmm, I have lots but I guess I can tell you about the time Keith and I played a prank on our Dads.” His lips quirked at the edges, eyes gaining some of the mirth back.

 

The story began “When Keith and I were younger we looked a lot alike…” And Adam didn’t follow as closely as the Holt’s he caught more on how Shiro spoke about his family. Watching his lips move wondering what-

 

Adam coughed excusing himself  to get a bit of fresh air, touch lingering on Shiro’s shoulder. Adam made his way towards the short staircase that led to the outside. He relaxed his weight against the side of the house, scrubbing at his eyes. The night air was crisp, his breath collecting in puffs before him. He smiled thinking of being on the outskirts of Capital Altea. The pull of nostalgia beckoned, but Adam’s instincts spiked. He peered through the darkness, squinting against the flat lines of the buildings. His heart stopped dead in his chest when he saw the silhouette of a male pressed to the roof of the building across from theirs. The dust clouds in the sky obscured th moon for a moment, tricking Adam into thinking it was all just a hallucination, only for his heart to rabbit into his throat when the moon caught the gold in the petite purple clad figure’s eyes. The haunting glow, drew Adam closer. He stumbled a step, staring unblinkingly at the figure. His motion sparked the other into action. The eyes narrowed to glowing slits before he vanished. Like mist in the night.

 

Adam walked back to dining area, watching as Shiro and the siblings compared stories of growing up with another.

 

“She took something from my room, so I held it over her head,” Katie was muttering about how Matt is barely taller than her.

 

“And I thought we were gonna give out parents a heart attack, especially when Katie tried to shove me down the stairs to get at the processing chip,” Matt explained, much to Sam and Colleen’s dismay.

 

“Oh it can’t be as bad as Keith taking his ceremonial knife, chasing me with it, then telling me he’d brutally stab me with it for taking his stuff. I’ve never seen Ulaz that made. Granted, I probably deserved it, I took one of his earrings. It was a custom piece he’d been working on for a while, to put in his orbital.” Shiro laughed thumbing the hoop in his right ear. Adam smiled and rejoined the conversation, urging his heart to slow. Between the roof wraith and Shiro his body was in overdrive.

 

Shiro had departed after discussing travel plans with them that night. Adam felt a pressure at the back of his mind. Not one that was there prior to the journey. It was like a small seed rooted to its new home. The novel pressure was all warm smiles. A firm yet gentle presence. He felt the feelings swirling, happiness, pride, giddiness. Adam grinned, basking in the glowing warmth the presence provided. The family retired for bed as they’d be up planning and gathering supplies in the morning.

 

Shiro returned home, well fed and high on the energy from the house. The Holt’s were wonderful people and he loved spending time with them. He was returning late, he entered quietly not sure who was still awake. He had turned to close the door and had not expected to literally walk into Keith who’d apparently stationed himself at the door. The boy’s shoulders sagged in relief while Shiro’s heart leapt to his throat. Keith was unfairly stealthy when he wanted to be.

 

“ **Your late.** ” Shiro sighed looking at Keith. Something was different about him.

 

“ **You said you be home by 22:00 its 23:57 Shiro. You promised we’d-** ”

 

“ **Ulaz is going to kill you when he sees the new piercing.** ” Shiro interrupted, a delighted smile playing on his lips. Keith snapped his mouth shut, face scarlet.

 

“ **Let me guess you either missed dinner or said you weren’t hungry.** ” To Shiro’s surprise and Keith’s horror the blush darkened. Keith had gone against their father’s wishes and got his tongue pierced. He argued, that they said _he_ couldn’t pierce it. They never said anything about his master piercing it. Apparently caring for it isn’t that bad. Sure it’ll be a bit swollen for a few days and he has to rinse his mouth with salt water. He could manage. Shiro just shook his head before talking about his visit.

 

“ **The Holt’s are incredible. They brought Colleen and Katie with them. Sam, Matt, and Adam all went over what their roles are in the mission.** ” Sam was the lead scholar and was there to test a few theories. Matt was an assistant. Adam was a scribe, who was responsible for writing and documenting the experience. Adam had former training like Shiro in technology and and fighting and was there as both a scholar and a secondary line of defense. It explained why the clothing had looked so good on him at dinner. Shiro felt his face warm. _Oh no_. Willing the blush away at the thought of the new scholar, Shiro promised Keith he’d try to spend a bit of time with him the next few days between working with the scholars. It was decided that they spend a couple weeks in Kem to accumulate supplies as well as have no questions about how the mission should go, and due to the length of the mission it was meant to let the team interact and make the parting easier on their families.

 

True to his word, Shiro took his breaks in a manner that split his time between Adam and Keith. While most of his time with Keith was typical brotherly antics, and goading the younger to do ridiculous things there was a day of pure vulnerability that left Shiro raw. He saw some of Keith’s insecurities rise to the surface. They’d been walking through the market running errands for Thace while Ulaz was on a short term mission in another city. The brothers past a family, the mother bearing more albino markings than her husband who had the large rounded ears, and thick coat of fur, much like Thace and Ulaz. They little girl swinging between them let out a happy trill, eyes squinting from the force of her smile. Shiro watched Keith grow quiet and distant, something that's becoming more and more frequent as he got older.

 

“ **Shiro do you ever think about your mom and dad?** ” Keith asked out of the blue, his sclera bleeding gold, his hair growing a bit fluffier. Taken aback by the question Shiro slowed to a stop. Glaring at the rock in the road between them, like it would have all the answered he’d seek.

 

“ **Occasionally I catch myself thinking about them. Mostly would they be proud of the male I am today? But the strange thing is-** ” He paused eyes distant and glassy, “ **I can’t even remember what they looked like. Who they were. What their names were. It’s hard to think about people you knew next to nothing about. Hard to think of the what ifs. I remember the screaming that night but most of it was a blur, I remember the night sky, seeing the constellations so clearly for the first time, two stars standing out brighter than I’d ever seen them.** ” Shiro’s voice was rough with emotion by the end.  Keith sucks in a breath. This conversation was hard, it’s always been hard. Neither of them really talk about their lives before Thace and Ulaz, both had come from such awful conditions.

 

“ **I know this isn’t an easy conversation, and I’m sorry for dragging the mood down. But seeing things like that make me envious of all these kids that don’t have to see the horrors of Zarkon’s reign. They’re so far removed, and it’s not their fault, I can’t blame them, I can’t even wish them to have similar fates to us. It's just-** ” He gulps down air like a drowning man, the pained gasp as he begins again. “ **I envy how simple they have it. How domestic. I envy that they get to have that. Don’t get me wrong I love Ulaz and Thace. They’ve been nothing but great parents but I can’t help but wonder what if… What if Pa hadn’t gone back into that fire that night. What if I hadn’t snapped. Then that poor family-”** He shivered at the memory, **“Shiro, I’m almost sixteen. Sixteen is a big year Shiro. I can’t help but think of what they’d think. Whether my mother would care. Whether she even knows I exist. Whether or not she thinks of me. Whether or not she’s even still alive. I don’t want lose you either. You’ve always been a constant reassuring presence but there's something about this mission that isn’t sitting right with me. I can’t lose you too.”** Keith breathes, liquid pooling in his eyes, sclera entirely gold, pupils narrow slits in the rich indigo of his irises. His hair shifted to a rich midnight, galran ears laying flat to his head. Shiro took a shuddering breath before pulling Keith into a rib crushing hug. He knew this was a tough subject for both of them. He knew that Keith often presented as mostly mortal, there were always a few minor inconsistencies with humans, but occasionally his Galra lineage grabbed the reins. It was also moments like this that Shiro remembered just how young Keith is, how much smaller he looked when in this state, and what he’d seen and been through had left more of a mark than any of them had considered.

 

“ **Keith, I appreciate you sharing this. I know you loathe the subject as much as I. But that’s why we’re part of the blade. We’re combatting Zarkon’s Reign of Terror. It doesn’t do to dwell on the past. You need to look forward because it helps no one and nothing to dwell on the past. You can’t torture yourself with the what if’s Keith. I’m sure that they’d be proud of you. Proud of their son, a natural born leader with an aptitude for Blade work. It doesn’t hurt that you’re a renowned piercer, one of the most respected occupations among the Blade and Kem alike. Promise me you won’t torture yourself with such thoughts, talk to us about them, you know as much as me that I can relate to your story a bit more than our Dad’s but they’d appreciate you telling them as it's a big sign of trust.** ” Shiro paused, easing his hold on the younger male, but still holding him close. Shiro pressed his face to Keith’s hair, careful of the boy’s ears. “ **I can assure you you mother would never forget about you. Parent’s never forget, they only want the best for their children. They’d die for you, Thace and Ulaz are proof enough of that. Remember that family isn’t just blood it can be found or it can find you when you need it most. I’m sure that there were extenuating circumstances that caused your mother to leave. I’m sure it was a means of protecting you. And as for the fire, if I remember correctly you said your Pa was a stubborn as an ox, something you inherited from him. He loved his job Keith, it wasn’t anyone's fault. As for what happened after-** ” Shiro paused trying to think of a way to phrase it. **“A scholar once told me that trauma takes many forms, and that everyone has a different reaction to it. I wholeheartedly believe that. What might traumatize me might have no effect on you,”** Keith began to shift back to his preferred humanoid form, sniffling through the transformation. “ **Everyone reacts differently, it was your mind trying to cope with the horrors. Trying to rationalize everything that happened. It wasn’t your fault.** ” Shiro finished softly. That seemed to be the end of that conversation, the pair wandered home with heavy hearts and much on their minds.

 

Ulaz returned the next night. Keith had missed him by mere varga, but he was sent on a mission to procure one of the items Shiro and his team needed to explore the rift. The Kit had left, a determined glint to his eye, shoulders held a bit higher.

 

Dinner was always a tad quieter without Keith. Which was a funny thought in and of itself. It’s not that he didn’t talk often, but at the Blade and during missions he didn’t speak much unless he was comfortable with the members. It had taken a while for Keith to warm up to the lot of them. But once he did, Shiro chuckled at the thought, looking up from his ta’meya.

 

 **“Has Keith ever talked to you about his parents?”** Shiro asked his father's. The pair blinked in eerie unison. Shiro is still convinced its a mate thing. Even further convinced as the pair stare intently at one another, occasionally quirking an eyebrow. Shiro rolls his eyes before continuing.

 

“ **I only ask because a couple days ago he expressed concern about his mother**.” All the males froze.

 

“He what?” Thace asked in mild shock and fear. Ulaz tipped his head back muttering some archaic prayer to the lion goddess before pinning Shiro under that glowing gaze.

 

“ **He said, and I’m paraphrasing here, that he was upset and angry that she left. That he’s mad that there was no indication of it, no attempts to check on him. Not even showing up at Tex’s funeral. He feels cheated out of that mother-son bond.** ” Shiro cringed. His fathers shared another heated look before sighing in defeat.

 

“ **I suppose it’s only natural that he be curious about his life before this. That he has a longing for it. It explains much of his eccentric behaviors, the aversion and magnetism to fire, his social skills.** ” The males nod in agreement.

 

“ **We would never be mad it’s only natural. I wonder if we could start telling him stories of his mother?** ” Thace suggested. Of the three of them, Thace knew Krolia the best.

 

“ **I think that’d be a start but I think you should wait until he asks you, that way it's easier to explain why we haven’t said anything sooner**.” Once again the trio nod in grim agreement. The mark they all bore on their throats that would burn their tongues out of their mouths should any information they reveal pose a threat to the extremely long term mission Keith mother had been sent on.

 

“Perhaps we could see if Kolivan can contact her?” Ulaz asked.

 

“As long as it’s not too risky.” Thace’s eyes bore the remnants of being in Zarkon’s keep. Of the horrors he’d witnessed and the ones he’d had to inflict. His fur shivered, raising a bit at the memory.

 

“Surely Keith would understand if we showed him the marks. He remembers his from Thace’s mission. Knows that its meant to keep the Blade’s safe. Knows that we protect our own.” The echoing “Knowledge or Death” resounded throughout the house.  

 


	2. Leave the Past to the Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t forget to tell the cute boy about the eyeliner incident!” They called, clutching their bruised ribs as Shiro briskly led them away. 
> 
> “Eyeliner incident?”
> 
> “It was one time!” Shiro yelled in the crowded market, drawing muffled laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congrats I guess... I finally uploaded this beast of a chapter.  
> Guess who got sick of writing dialogue and went on a hiatus for a bit. Also Finals season. Never let me take multiple Math classes at the same time again. too many maths and sciences this semester. 
> 
> For the actual shark bait explanation see the end of the chapter notes. Cause thats based off of a true story. (I still get called shark bait and its been like 10 years) 
> 
> Also: my explanations for the Tarot reading was based off of the deck I have. I know that they vary slightly but it's the general idea.

Unsurprisingly it was Colleen who’d made their schedules for the following two weeks since she wanted to be assured that they’d have a break from work to spend time with their families. It was like she was one of Shiro’s teachers, the aura coming off her in waves was fiercely determined but nurturing. In the time she’d spirit away the Holt’s, Shiro often found himself wandering the Oasis city with Adam, or splitting his time between the mission and his family.

 

They walked in tense silence. They pair not entirely comfortable around one another yet, heads lost to the clouds. Shiro’s because of a rather embarrassing comment from the Holt’s, Adam dwelling too much on who he is to Shiro in the future, face dusted pink in the bright sun. The pair walk in tandem on the outer edge of the metropolis, starting by the cliff that shield the Capital from the worst of the sun, casting the surrounding buildings in a soft muted purple. Shiro cleared his throat, maybe a little too loudly as it drew the attention of other wanderers.

 

“Ummm, sorry, but I figured that since we’ll be on a long term mission that we should...umm” Shiro trailed off eyes glinting as a stray beam of light danced across.

 

“That we should get to know one another,” Adam helpfully supplied. Chuckling when Shiro’s own face was dusted a powder blue, playing off the thin line of red tinted khol on his lids.

 

“Yeah, that.” He said sheepishly.

 

“Hmmm, well what did you want to know?” Adam asked.

 

“Oh don’t ask me that,” Shiro pleaded, eyes growing wide, “We’ll be here for a month of Sundays if I have to think of something.”

 

“Okay then I’ll go first. Your a commander right,” He asked looking to the male for confirmation. He received a humm in acknowledgement.

 

“Yes, a commander in the 11th Faction. My younger brother is in the 9th faction more known for stealth and infiltration missions.”

 

“You’re a scholar right?” This time Adam hummed in acknowledgement.

 

“Yes, and I study the rift and all its properties.”

 

“That's really interesting, sounds like a lot of hard work.”

 

“Ehhh, it depends really, its rewarding work,”

 

“What made you want to become a scholar?”

 

“Honestly, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. We’re all so young when they tell us you should know what you want to be. I know that I’ve changed so much in the past six months let alone how different I’ll be in about twenty years. The path of Scholars allows you to follow an undying curiosity. There's always so much to learn,”

 

“What about you, what made you want to be a commander?”

 

“Apparently I’m good at thinking and functioning under pressure. My colleagues voted me to the position, saying they’d follow me, and now I feel responsible. Like I can’t let them down.”

 

“So you didn’t want to be a leader?” Adam asked mildly shocked, the images plastered in his mind blurring, the potentials switching.

 

“No not really. I can do it if I have to and under certain situations, though, I’m thankful to have a say in decisions. But honestly I would have been happy just following the chain of command, exploring the world on my missions.”

 

“So humble,” Adam mused reveling in the darker blue blush on Shiro’s cheeks. The male had such a sharp jaw, he caught himself admiring the strong planes and angles of his face before realizing Shiro had asked him something.

 

“Ummm, sorry, can you repeat that?” He prayed his face didn’t betray him,

 

“Sure, I asked what made the rift so special? Why you chose to study that.”

 

“Oh, it's just that big looming unknown. It’s responsible for so much damage yet it provides to its surroundings. It’s almost like a tear in the space time continuum.”

 

The conversation was cut short however when a fellow Blade interrupted, calling Shiro away to help sort out an internal affair. Adam sighed running a hand through his hair taking in the bounding metropolis pushing in on him. He was a mere  speck of dust in the booming Capital. The open markets, the chorus of bartering, the aroma of spices and incense mingling in the air. The Altean turned then walking towards where the guest houses were, noticing the differences in their cultures.

 

He passed a group of small children. Unlike in Altea where the kids learn to love the water and all it has to offer, the Kem children had taken to martial arts, the form so unlike any fighting style he’d been exposed to. It had a fiery attack to it, unlike the push and pull of defensive Altean fighting. His people were allegedly a peaceful sort. They never out right attacked, they tried to solve problems with words first, tried to negotiate. The Kem were like an untamed wild fire, gorgeous in all it’s danger.  

 

In the neutral lands there was more conflict in the generations before theirs. The adults knew how to fight. Had been at the neighboring tribes throats over it until the King T. Seido united the tribes. Helped achieve the peace that the Neutral Territories now know. His son however decided to create the Council of elders. Had the tribes vote on representatives to speak for themselves. It was to help keep the country together and let them be a change in the world. Let people have a say in their own destinies. He remains a King in name only and appears on the council with the others from time to time. Rumor was the man had sired a child, but had told no one, had decided that there was no need for a another monarch. He tried to follow in the footsteps of Marmora, to let the country be run by multiple people to better reflect the interests of all.

 

Adam rubbed at his temples, glaring at the blazing sun. He could feel a headache coming on. He’d need to remember to drink more water while in the desert.

 

* * *

 

A few days later, when Adam and Shiro had some block of time together to wander the Capital, they seemed to be more curious of one another. The pull of the fates working overtime to let them see and know true bliss before the carpet gets swept from beneath them, leaving them in a free fall.

 

“So do you have any hobbies?” Shiro found himself asking. Desperate for any information on the enigmatic Altean.

 

“Hmmm,” Adam mused, hand reaching to fiddle with the crystal around his neck.

 

“Well, I guess aside from the studies, I’m fond of swimming, and exploring,” He smiles softly, “And the stars and sky. There's so much about them that we don’t understand. Do you think it's possible to visit the moon?” Adam asked breathless. Shiro paused, breath catching in his throat.

 

“I hope that one day it’s possible. Though I’m not sure that they’d appreciate people mingling in their burden.” Shiro mused, totally forgetting people don’t always follow the same connections your brain makes.

 

“Forgive me but who wouldn’t appreciate…” He trailed off.

 

“In my, um tribe, we grew up hearing stories of our gods and goddesses. One of my favorite stories was that of why the sun and mood constantly chase one another. It’s kind of sad though,” Shiro adds as a disclaimer.

 

“That’s alright, I’d love to hear it.”

 

“Oh this is going to be a bit strange in the common tongue.” Shiro muses.

 

“That’s alright, I’m a captive audience.” Shiro smacks his shoulder at that.

 

“Well, long ago in the time of the old kings. There was a great river that divided the territory in half. There were two warring states, fighting over resources. Kem wasn’t always a barren desert. The oases are a testament to the time before the Last King of Kem upset the natural order of things and incurred the god’s wrath. The Warrumar clan was at war with the Khenit Clan. One a water wielding people, the other a fire wielding people. It was in their nature to be opposites. Legend goes that the Princess of Khenit, Princess Myana, with eyes of the purest amethyst, skin pale as snow, and hair dark as night would sing her prayers to the river goddess Adtia, and to the old divine the lion goddess, in the name of Voltron. It was said that her singing was like a siren's song. It enchanted men and lured them to their deaths as they tried to cross the river. She had watched from her side of the river as the war bands returned from their fights, watched one night as the prince of Warrumar himself, Prince Rhyloh, had taken to the water. He’d sang back, had stayed throughout the night, and they lulled one another further and further into the depths. The pair met in the middle of the river. A place where there was no Warrumar or Khenit. They’d laughed and talked, but as light returned to the sky, they’d had to swim back to their respective shores. They’d kept their meeting a secret. But the next night the swam out to each other. And the next night. And the next. It wasn’t until the Priestess of Warrumar followed the Prince one night. How she’d watched as they lost their prince to something as trivial as love. Out of spite for stealing away their Prince the Priestess cursed the Princess. For when the Princess had returned to her own shore. She was void of any color. She was pale as the alabaster cliffs. The Princess was cast out, no one in Khenit believed it was her. But the Prince, Prince Rhyloh had seen had known. So they continued to meet one another in the roaring rivers waves. After being curse Myana had embraced Rhyloh, who’d brushed a kiss to her lips. But the curse,” Shrio paused eyes distant.

 

“The curse had an unexpected side effect. The Priestess had unknowingly gifted the Princess with the kiss of death. A curse that stole the love of her live. She let the river carry them down stream, not caring if it sucked her under as well. She’d give anything to be reunited with her dead lover. For them to live again. In answer to her prayer’s the Great Lion Goddess the mother of all Gods and Goddesses made a deal. They could live forever, but they may rarely see one another. She fated them to chase each other across the sky. She took it, because being able to see her love if only in the smallest of glances, to know that he was alive was worth the pain. When they’d ascended to take their places in the sky, the warring tribes had embraced a truce. Realizing the loss of life. Of something so pure that should be honored. The clans united and worshiped the Prince and Princess as they made their journeys across the sky. They paid homage to their sacrifice and honored their wishes. Lived their lived in peace as their children would have wanted. But, the Princess would have to endure the pain of her curse on the solar eclipse as they embrace and died together only to be resurrected to restart the cycle. Only on Lunar Eclipses can they be together, however, the world is reminded of the blood that was shed and that they should avoid the mistakes.”

 

“Oh, that's so sad,” Adam started, stunned by the story. “I hope that someday I have a love as strong as that.”

 

“Supposedly that’s the origin of the threads of fate. They bind every being to it’s perfect match so that they can experience a love like that. So that while its agony for the Sun and Moon to be kept apart they are able to feel one another. To have a connection despite the tragedy, they are able to help others have what they cannot.” Shiro says, voice thick.

 

They walk a bit longer in silence mulling over the story, before Adam breaks it.

 

“Do _you_ have any hobbies?” Shiro laughed.

 

“I suppose I do,”

 

“Care to share?” Adam teased and Shiro stuck his tongue out at him.

 

“Alright smartass, I was thinking. I suppose you could say that my hobbies include martial arts, sword fighting, strategy games-” He cuts himself off, blushing a bit. “Wow I sound so boring, or maybe like a war-crazed general.” He squares his shoulders and makes his voice deeper, face stoic.

 

“What do you mean the recruits haven't been practicing 12 hours a day. How are we supposed to defeat the empire if they’re slacking. Between their training, and chores that leave 4 hours for them to eat and sleep. What do you mean that's not enough. Back in my day we had to climb out of the volcanoes in Kraehover with our arms bound behind our back.” Adam laughed.

 

“Holy gods they don’t actually make you do that do they?”

 

“Ugh, honestly some of the commanders act like that. And it’s terrible. You’d think they’d understand how miserable the dry season’s heat can be.”

 

“Eww” Adam said, sweating more at the thought that it could get much hotter.

 

“But I do have more hobbies I swear.” Shiro laughed.

 

“You do?”

“Mmm” he hummed.

 

“I was born into one of the Caravans that you might have seen pass through the Capital. They taught us all about living with the land. About our Gods, about the stars, how to dance and sing, how to leave the world a better place than you found it.” He smiles sadly.

 

“Thats awesome.” Adam says dumbstruck. Trying to process the information, then getting whiplash as the phantom memory came crashing back. The boy and the blood. That glittering tapestry. Suddenly he understood the expression on the other male’s face. The pain and longing. He wouldn’t push it.

 

“Oh, is there anything that people here know about you that the outsiders like me and the Holt’s wouldn’t know? I’ll tell you a story that I’m sure would brighten your day in return.” He tried. Wanting to do anything to ease the pain of the memories Shiro had recalled.

 

“Oh umm. I guess there’s a few. But I wouldn’t want to ruin your sparkling image of me,” the teasing edge to his words returning.

 

“Oh don’t you worry your pretty little mind over that, you destroyed it long before now.”

 

“Offense,”

“There's no fences in the desert, Takashi.” Adam said cocking an eyebrow. Shiro flared his nostrils on his exhale.

 

“Well, it’s pretty well known that I can’t cook. I never learned because my dad’s are awful cooks. I’d say don’t tell them I said that but that's common knowledge here. It’s why I haven’t offered to cook some of the Kem food you guys have tried.”

 

Adam makes a face watching Shiro.

 

“A while ago, I managed to set rice on fire. Soggy rice. I set soggy rice on fire.” He grimaced, throwing an elbow into a family friend’s rib as they passed by shouting,

 

“That was two nights ago, kiddo,” to which Adam burst into a fit of giggles. Shiro’s face was near glowing blue.

 

“Don’t forget to tell the cute boy about the eyeliner incident!” They called, clutching their bruised ribs as Shiro briskly led them away.

 

“Eyeliner incident?”

 

“It was one time!” Shiro yelled in the crowded market, drawing muffled laughter.

 

“Aww don’t leave the poor thing in the dark,”

 

“I can and I will. The less people that know the better.”

 

“Fine be that way,” The woman of semi-galra decent stepped up from behind one of the market stall, deciding to mess with Shiro. It seemed the vendor crowd was very familiar with the Commander. Her long inky hair falling like a silky curtain as leaned forward to grab Adam’s arm. The Galra markings were faint, sharper teeth, and a slight purple tint to her skin, though Adam could have sworn her eyes glowed from the shadows her hair cast over her face. “I’ll tell him myself,”

 

“Gee Karen, how’s your husband? Which number is it now?”

“Old news honey, you’re gonna have to try harder,” She purred much to Shiro’s dismay.

 

“So it all happened this one day, how old were you,” She asked, voice as silky as her hair. Shiro petulantly turned his head away and crossed his arms.

 

“He was about 15,” Another vendor called from farther down. Shiro turned and glared, eyes dark in the shade of the stalls. He mouthed something in Kem at the man that sent the group laughing.

 

“Right so this tiny 15 year old,” Adam blinked in surprise? Shiro tiny? The man was fucking stacked.

 

“Oh, you didn’t know, he was so tiny. A wee little bean,” Karen says, hand on Adam’s shoulder as she gestures to the embarrassed Commander with the other.

 

“So this little runt of a kit, had messed with his Dad’s the henna based khol. He got the darker dye so instead of using a lighter color that blends more naturally with his lighter skin, he went for this midnight blue color, so dark it was basically black. He looked like a trash panda. The ones that are in the border forest. The ones that look like they have two black eyes. You should have seen Ulaz and Thace. Oh god’s they were livid. They thought someone had beat him half to death. Thought maybe he and Kit, had a falling out or something. They dragged him to see Kolivan thinking it was someone from school and oh gods it was priceless,” She wheezes, tears falling from the effort of laughing.

 

“It took so long to get off. Shiro, dear,” She paused, said male was still turned away from them radiating embarrassment. He grumbled at her. “How long did it take to fade?” He pursed his lips.

 

“Yeah, Shiro, how long?” Adam asked, clutching his middle from laughing so hard. He could just imagine this scrawny kid looking like he got the crap beat out of him.

 

“3 weeks,” he mumbled.

 

“How long,”

 

“3 weeks.”

 

“Oh that’s priceless. I’d rather be a raccoon than shark bait though,” taking some of the attention off Shiro.

 

“Shark bait?” Shiro asked, a few other murmuring as well. Being a desert it was rare to come by such creatures. They’d only heard legends of them. Of the massive beasts with endless rows of teeth and soulless eyes, darker than the deepest seas where it dwelled. That it could swallow a man whole in one bit.

 

“Yes, Shark bait. My family and I had visited Altea to see my cousins. As you probably know there's a lot of water. So my cousins decided it would be a great day to teach me how to sail.” He grimaced.

 

“You know, looking back on it, my uncle was the cause of the problem. He was the one that instigated all this.”

 

“Anyways, my family decided it would be a good idea to teach me how to sail. They did a very brief. And I mean brief, crash course in sailing in the bay, then led us out through the straights and rapids, and into the uncharted waters just behind the falls. It's usually too dangerous to go there. We have reports of the waters. The conditions for sailing, and fishing and swimming. And there was an all points bulletin in those waters. Shark sightings. Multiple great whites. Now you’d think that the small island in the middle of the waters would have been safe to stop at. But there were so many sea lions.” He recalled. Adam paused to explain the creatures before continuing.

 

“Yeah, so the island was full of sea lions. And my uncle was like oh hey lets try the chair. And me not knowing much of anything was like, ‘what chair?’ Apparently there's a chair that suspends you in the air above the water on the outside of the boat so you can clean it. There's an adjustment for height and weight. I refused to go first. But my uncle was like fine but you’re gonna go. So I watched him, and my cousins do it. Mind you they’re all older than me on the boat. Built more like men than boys. I was like maybe 10 so I’m this tiny kid, They didn’t adjust the chair cause they seemed to forget that I’m 10 at the time. So they stick me in the chair and i end up in the water up to my chest.” He pauses.

 

“Let me remind you there's a shark advisory and a whole blubbery mass of sea lions on that outcropping. So I’m terrified. I start protesting in the water and my cousins are laughing so hard that I’m so deep in the water. However I let out some inhumane screech, something like a decibel higher than my voice. I kicked something in the water that was most definitely not the boat. I was facing the wrong direction to have kicked the boat. And then my cousins started a ridiculous chant. And dubbed me Sharkbait. They had to haul me out of the water cause we saw a sea lion get attacked while I was still in the water. They were laughing the whole time. To this day my family still calls me sharkbait.” He sighs, laughing a little.

 

“Oh my gods,” The vendors laugh. Imagining the male in front of them as a child flailing and screaming in the water, while trying to climb the rope holding the chair to escape a shark attack.

 

Shiro guides them out of the Vendor’s section and towards the cliffs in the distance, a change of scenery.

 

“I’m so sorry they’re really protective, and with that comes spilling all your most embarrassing memories to new friends.”

 

“Hey it’s not that bad, remind me to tell you what my grandma did to me two years ago in front of my entire class.” Adam flushes as he shudders. “It still haunts my nightmares.”

 

“That good, huh?”

 

“Don’t even start.” to which Shiro sticks his tongue out again, though his gaze snagged on the tattoo crawling down Adam’s thigh. A unique color ink, one that seems to glow against his skin.

 

“Have you always had a tattoo?” He asked curiously watching as Adam glanced down confused, before noticing his leg.

 

“Oh” was all he could think to say. Shiro just tilted his head.

 

“In Altea, everyone is born with your tangled thread of fate. The script near indecipherable, and it only uncurls itself after you’ve reached certain fate checkpoints. It’s like a personal growth meter. It untangles the more you realize your full potential.” He says fidgeting a bit.

 

“Oh, so it’s like a birthmark,” Shiro says sagely. Adam chokes on a laugh.

 

“I’ve never heard anyone refer to it as that, however, I think that's the best description I’ve ever heard.” Adam looked down, staring at the chartreuse marking. He sighed before coming to a stop, causing Shiro to pause. He glanced at the male before taking a deep breath and shifting to his Altean form, watching as Shiro’s brows shot into his hairline, watching his shock and awe.

 

“Woah,” He breathed.

 

Adam smiled looking down at the form he was more comfortable in. could just barely see the hint of green from his facial markings in his line of sight. Watched Shiro’s eyes roam as he took in the many tattoo’s Adam had acquired each telling a different story. Each with a different mean, a different place in his heart.

 

“I- wow- um,” Shiro coughs to hide his blush and get himself back under control.

 

“They’re gorgeous,” He’d just barely held his tongue from saying you’re gorgeous. And sure Shiro knew he was never the straighten arrow in the quiver. Had experiments a little with both genders, but found he was attracted to males. Males of a certain...type. Adam was meeting all his standards and it was finally starting to get under Shiro’s skin. He’d known when he met the male that he was unfairly attractive. Skin a rich almond color. Smooth and defined. His striking blue eyes. An Altean trait. Shiro’s crush was like that itch you can’t scratch, that feeling of this is the last and there you are hours later still consuming. He was stunning.

 

Adam smiled before shifting back to his human appearance, where only a faint outline of his fate’s tattoo peaked through the shift. Shiro noted that his human form was duller than his Altean form. In his other form the male was radiant, glowing even in the endless desert.

 

“What about you, I feel like there's more piercings than I last remembered seeing.” Adam says curiously.

 

“Oh, that’s probably because I switch them out. If I wore all of them at the same time it’d be a bit overpowering.” He says sheepishly.

 

“In Kem we use piercings to tell our life stores, each spot has a meaning.” He gestured to his ear, pointing to each piercing explaining the event that it represented. The morals that were tested, the obstacles he overcame despite all odds. He move to his face pointing to a few piercings missing jewelry continuing. Adam sucked in a breath. With all the time he’d spent ogling the other male he had yet to notice the other piercings.

 

“I didn’t want to scare you guys off when you got here so I limited the piercings. I’ve been gradually adding them back in as you get used to life here. I’m sure you've noticed that there are a few individuals who are essentially 90% metal at this point because of the amount of piercings they have.” He laughed.

 

“Oh yeah there was one guy with a forked tongue and so many piercings you could barely see him,” Adam nodded, remembering how grossed out Matt was and how intrigued Katie was. While Matt was struggling to keep the contents of his stomach inside, Katie had clasped her hands in front of her muttering about the possibilities. The look of pure horror on Matt’s face had been worth being too close to the splash zone. Colleen had cut that trip short.

 

Their conversation drifted between subjects after that from clothing to the differences in their childhood. The perks of knowing multiple languages. Shiro practiced his Altean preening under the praise when he nailed a tricky pronunciation. The sun was long since down before they returned to their respective dwellings, minds caught on all they had learned.

 

Something between them had shifted. The pull stronger, more present in all that they did. From standing closer to one another to lingering touches that seem like they’d known each other for years. Colleen caught them one night, smirking as they floundered for an explanation. She just winked at them saying mothers know everything, before turning on her heel to wrangle her children.

 

* * *

 

It’s become a routine of sorts. Shiro would spend half the week wandering the Oasis city with Adam when they weren’t working on their plans for the mission. The other half was spent with his family, enjoying the temporary domestic bliss. Though the schedule deviated slightly when Keith departed for a two week long mission into the southern territories, the Kraeheover Region.

 

Adam and Shiro meandered through the Capital, watching with interest as vendors hefted large supplies to and fro. Watched as performers, weaved their way through the crowd long skirts flowing on a phantom breeze, feet stomping to the beat of the drums. Watched as their bodies arched to the sounds, contorting with each drop and clap. What them spring and fly across the ground.

 

Adam watched in fascination as the tanned bodies rolled, such displays were uncommon in the Neutral territories. They tended to me more reserved and conservative in displaying their bodies. It's why visiting the two southern regions, Kem and Altea, was such a culture shock to everyone. Shiro’s eyes were glazed over, as he stared at the performers, at their caravan. Adam scanned the inscription on the side of the wagons. The only word Adam understood was Khenit. A region in the east of Kem. His eyes strayed further catching on the elaborate tapestry, one with constellations of the night sky shimmering in the light of day. The smell of incense wafted through the air, and Shiro blinked himself out of the temporary trance, eyes lingering on one of the dancers, a young woman with stunning eyes, bright green complimenting her near glowing tan skin. Her smile widened as she danced towards him.

 

Adam watched with bated breath as Shiro stood wide eyed looking like someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over his head. The girl danced around him, twirling to and fro, skirts brushing against the wrap around his waist, her fingers tracing the gold of his ears, the chime of his earrings melting into the sounds around them. Her painted mouth moved with words Adam did not know but he saw understanding dawn on Shiro’s face. Watched as his expression melted from uncomfortable to terrified, then to nostalgic. His irises dwarfed by the whites of his eyes, the woman pulled him towards the now gathering dancers.

 

Shiro stood in the middle of the circle of them, the women with their backs to the crowd, feet tapping and turning as they moved in a slow circle around the pair. The male dancers showed off impressive displays of strength and coordination around them, bouncing with intricate footwork and large arm motions, then joined in with the rhythmic circle, feet flying. Adam saw the shoes leave Shiro’s feet, replaced by the tinkling bells all the dancers wore, saw the same bracelets worn by the performers now crawling up his arms.  Saw change in his demeanor, in the way he held himself. Watched as Shiro and the green-eyed woman moved in sync with one another, Shiro’s body contorting as hers did, like two sides of a coin, a mirror to another life, his body moved to the beat of an old memory. There was something hypnotizing about the motions, Adam couldn’t help but gawk. Shiro’s muscle memory kicked in, leading him into the transition between dances, having him blend in with the group. Watched the strange mixture between fluid motions and the highly energetic ones that had Adam exhausted and worrying about their feet as they jumped. The crowd that had gathered whooped and hollered. Adam’s breath caught as Shiro relaxed, letting his expression morphe into one of bliss.

 

The male twisted and turned, feet shuffling and tapping in rhythm with the muscles glistening with exertion. His body rolled and flowed like water, as he moved his arms with unnatural grace, the alluring sound of clinking metal and the twinkling of bells drawing the crowd in. The song was reaching its crescendo Shiro moved in time with the others, smile on his face. The dancers were working their way back through the crowd and Shiro was moving towards Adam. The larger male’s smile was blinding as he moved around his friend, fingers tracing up Adam’s spine as Shiro took the lead. He dipped and swayed, coaxing Adam’s body to do the same. Eyes wide, Adam glanced up at Shiro, whose eyes were animal bright, a startling gold, the color of melting ore.

 

The performance ended, Shiro’s chest heaving, heaviness resettling into his shoulders. He clapped Adam on the shoulder claiming he’d be back in a few. Adam leaned against a nearby wall, watching as Shiro and the Dancers conversed. The sounds not the proper Kem Adam had come to expect of the city, more of a rural dialect. The green eyed girl smiled arms gesturing enthusiastically, Shiro’s own motions beginning to match. She wrapped an arm around his waist, speaking a mile a minute. They said a few more words before Shiro was moving his hand to one of his earrings, freeing the gold from his ear, mouth moving as if explaining the motion. The girls eyes widened further and he pressed it into her hand, brushing a kiss to her brow. Her green eyes brighter against the tears welling in her eyes, she reached to one of the multiple necklaces Adam hadn’t realized she’d been wearing and motioned for Shiro to bend down. She slung a simple gold chain around his neck, and another stepped forward handing him an amulet or pendant of sorts. He stared in shock at them, mouth already moving to tell them it was too much, it was more than enough. They all hugged him and wished him safe travels on his mission, and a lot of other things that fell short of Adam’s ears. He could have sworn he heard the word brother though. _Interesting_.

 

“I hope you don’t mind if we start heading back towards our places because I feel gross after that.” Shiro muttered, trying to ignore the way the material his waist wrap was clinging to his sweaty skin.

 

“I don’t mind,” Adam said trying to avert his eyes cause God’s, was Shiro wearing underwear or was that really- Adam cut off that dangerous train of thought.

 

“Thank you,” He breathed, adrenaline finally leaving his body. “Actually before we do there’s this fae run shop a couple blocks away. I need more energy,” Adam hummed. He’d noticed that as of late, there had been more of a normalized integration of magic into their worlds. Had noted the huge technical advances in Altea, the plethora of new research from the Neutral Territories, the more Primal magics dwelling in Kem. The mingling of magic and non-magic. Creating a society where both were bountiful. Adam smiled realizing that it was a refreshment shop, they sold all sorts of drinks and some could even use magic to give you a drink to quell emotions you don’t even realize you have or are neglecting. They focus on re-centering your chi.

 

“That sounds perfect, I could use a pick me up as well. I’m amazed you didn’t pass out with all the energy you exerted while mildly dehydrated from the sun,”

 

Shiro laughed stating, “Don’t be so sure,”  and pretended to swoon, smile widening as Adam caught him.

 

They stepped into the shop, the clay bricks sheltering them from the haze of the mid afternoon sun. The building was enchanted, the walls lined with trinkets that would float to you should they sense your need. The crystals above the door flared signaling their arrival. At the counter there was a pair of fae. Each smiling and scenting the air. They nodded to the seating area claiming they’d bring what the pair needed as soon as they finished it. Adam noticed the way the space seemed to sing in Shiro’s presence. The way he seemed to be so at ease there. Like he was built for it.

 

“Thank you,” Shiro said, then amended when he saw Adam’s expression, “for coming here,”

 

“Oh it’s not problem, I really don’t mind. Like I said I could use a pick me up too,” Shiro hummed eyes darting around the shop watching as a few sentient objects floated over to their table.

 

The males watched as a red string maybe the length of their forearm stretched between the two of them. Watched as a blue calcite sphere settled in front of Shiro. A small music box sang, its melody a soft soothing sound, background noise to the emotions overwhelming them. Adam watched as a small pyramid of amazonite lingered in front of him. He breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn’t rose quarts. He didn’t think he’d live through explaining that one.

 

“I feel so attacked,” Shiro grumbled glaring at his sphere.

 

“Something on your mind,” Adam asked, hoping to ease the dread he saw on Shiro’s face.

 

“Some say talking and laughing is the best medicine,”

 

“So they say…”

 

“But like really don’t feel pressured. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to or if you’re uncomfortable. It’s just-”

 

“I don’t mind. Besides it’d probably be good to talk about it.”

 

The fae male from before dropped their drinks off, giving a subtle wink at them as he backed away. Shiro and Adam just shared a confused glance. What did that mean...

 

So Adam listened. He listened to Shiro’s story. One he sort of already knew. Heard about his life as a child belonging to a Caravan. Living as part of a nomadic tribe. Learning of Shiro’s parents not being able to ease the pain as Shiro recalled the night they had met their unfortunate demise at the hands of the Empire.

 

“Is it bad I don’t even remember their faces?” Shiro asked, tears streaking his face. The guilt heavy in his posture.

 

“I think it’s natural. It could be for different reasons. The mind is complex thing.”

 

“I feel like an awful child,” Shiro said.

 

“I haven’t even made an effort to visit their resting place. I haven’t made an effort to stay in touch with our Caravan. Lana, the girl from earlier. We were like siblings. Her parents and mine were extremely close. That night, we ended up heading to the Capital to ask for help from the Blades. She was stronger than I was. Saw the ways of our ancestors, the way of peace. But I- I think I wanted a chance at revenge. A chance to pay the Empire back. To make them hurt as they’d hurt me. That's how I felt… but now. I don’t. I don’t think I could ever face them if I turn into that.”

 

“Shiro, you have every right to feel that way. They up rooted your whole life. They took a vital part of you. They took a future away from you. It's up to you to choose your own path now. I know regardless of what path you walk your parents would be proud of the male you’ve become.” Adam felt tempted to say he was friends with a necromancer at school who did seances to quell such thoughts. To bring closure. Maybe someday after this mission they could pay her a visit.

 

“Adam I don’t even know my lineage. The only clue I had that I wasn’t human was that I bleed blue. It used to be red. Sometimes it is red. Other times its blue. I feel like I’m at war with myself.” He sulks, downing more of his drink.

 

“As of late I’ve felt more of a pull towards nature. Like everything is heightened. But then like two nights ago I was bleeding red not blue when I cut my hand.

 

“Have you ever asked your Dad’s?” Shiro choked on his drink tears stinging his eyes as he fought to breathe. Adam thumped him on the back a couple of times trying to help.

 

“Are you nuts? I could never ask them that!”

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean _why_! I can’t”

 

“You can’t or you won’t?” Shiro reeled as if slapped.

 

“You don’t get it. I couldn’t- I couldn't ask them that. It’s like a slap to the face. Like saying hey Dad’s I know you'd spent nearly two decades raising me but what about my real parents? It’d be like saying I don’t love them or care for all that they’ve done for me.”

 

“I don’t think they’d see it that way,”

 

“You don’t know that.” Adam was tempted to say yes I do you idiot. I know exactly how this meeting ends, how you go and ask them and I go as back up. What they say. How they react. How much they adore you. How seeing such a loving family makes me miss my own even more. He settled for an exaggerated sigh.

 

“Alright fine, maybe I don’t but you never know what could happen. Maybe I’m biased but I love learning new things. This has clearly been tearing you apart. Why not just suck it up and ask. Would you be comfortable dying without knowing?” Adam levels, watching the shock on Shiro’s face.

 

“Adam,”

 

“Don’t _Adam_ me. Look I know it’s a morbid question. But we don’t have eternity Takashi, you have to choose whether or not you want to know. I realize that it’s a lot to take in, and that it’s terrifying to learn about the unknown, but you have to decide if that's something you want. Stop being so selfless. You have one life are you going to waste it just pleasing others and neglecting yourself or are you gonna do something about it.” He hissed.

 

“Look Takashi, there's no right or wrong time to do things. There's not perfect moment. You have to make that time yourself.” Shiro blinked, leaning back in his seat, mulling over the words.

 

The female fae that had been working behind the counter made her way to their table. She flipped a chair around straddling it while shuffling a deck of Tarot cards. She tilted her head, scenting the air, her nostrils delicately flaring. A spark lit in her eyes and she smiled looking between the two. Their stones had since returned but the red string stayed between them. She smirked a little before saying,

 

“Hey, looks like you guys could use a reading.”

 

“Oh, umm,” Shiro tried to back out of it, but Adam smirked meeting the females eyes.

 

“Sounds about right.” She smiled handing the cards off to Adam first to shuffle about to get a feel for the deck. To let the cards understand him and his energies, his struggles and triumphs.

 

“I’m going to use a three card spread helpful for making decisions, I will give you a loose translation of your cards, but it is up to you to find the true meaning behind them.” She points to three spots on the table where she’ll lay the cards. Explaining this spot is option A, this spot is Option B, and that spot is how to decide.”  

 

Adam hums thinking of his dilemma. Of love and a future he’d love to have, but isn’t sure if it’s possible. He shuffled the deck a few more times for good measure before passing it back to the fae. She smiles brightly and places 3 cards down. She meets Adam’s hesitant expression from across the table, eyes flickering to the red string between him and Shiro, before turning the cards over slowly.

 

“Four of Swords. You have reached a milestone. It would appear that you need time to recharge. To clear your mind before you begin the next phase of your life. Meditating on this may help you clear your mind. Eight of Cups,” She says as she flips the next card over. “It would seem that it’s time to walk away from a disappointing situation. Despite how much you had hoped it would work out it would be best to just move on.” Shiro squints at Adam as if trying to make sense of what he’d been thinking of.

 

“Page of Cups, inverted,” She mused. “You are keeping creative inspirations a secret. You feel compelled to do this work but there is worry about whether or not it’s realistic.” She pauses making eye contact with Adam. He jolted at the intensity of her honey colored eyes, “ Who cares, go for it. What is there to lose.” Adam sucks in a breath and nods, thankful when her attention is fixed on Shiro.

 

He glanced nervously at the deck in her hands. Before taking a deep breath and reaching for the extended cards. He closes his eyes and shuffles the cards. Mind swarming with everything. His emotions totally out of whack. He focuses his attention, first he needs to decide what he’d going to do about learning about himself. Then he can deal with his crush and the future. With a nod he passes the shuffled deck back to the female. He watches as she places his three cards down.

 

She flips the first one over, “The four of wands, life or you, have been rapidly growing or expanding. It’s time to pause and celebrate what you have already achieved. A family get together may be in your future.” She paused to flip the second card. “The ace of pentacles, inverted, A new opportunity presents itself to you. It has the potential to grow into something lucrative. As for your final card, The knight of wands,” She says voice mellow, “You are afraid of taking the next step. You are afraid you won’t be successful. You are procrastinating and holding yourself back from making your dreams come true. You must trust that you have what you need now, and the rest will come as you grow.”

 

“I hope that this helps you come to your decisions. When you do stop by again.” She adds with a smile. Like she knows something they don’t. Adam can make his guesses based on what he’s seen in his visions but he doesn’t dare hope.

 

“Well Chief, what's the plan.” Adam asks sarcastically because he knows. He knows the next words that are going to come out of Shiro’s mouth had unconsciously known them for days.

 

“I think that those cards solved the problems. But I’m going to ask my dad’s about my past.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok So Sharkbait. Once again I'm not sure if anyone bothers to read this. But if you do I hope you enjoy my misery. Granted I'm mostly desensitized to this, but when I was like 9 or 10 my uncle decided to take us sailing. We left the harbor on his boat and he brought us to a destination where there were several shark sightings cause like... We're in a 40ft sail boat with an engine, so his mentality was those sharks got nothing on us. Oh were we wrong. So we get close-ish like we can see the see the Island but its kinda hazy. So he's like lets get the Bosun's chair. And my cousin is like, "Hell yeah," Dudes like late 20's and just got his sailing license and thats cool for you but I'm like 10 and very tiny thanks. So my uncle goes first and my aunt and cousin are checking on the chair. My other aunt and her friend are sitting there with me like, "what the hell is wrong with him" cause my uncle was very much giddy and excited. So then my cousin got in the chair and he was having the time of his life. The adjusted it so it was just his feet skimming the water and he's yelling and having a blast and now I'm given a false sense of security and I'm like sure I guess I'll try the chair. They forgot to adjust for my height and weight so this tiny 9 year old girl is flailing and screaming and up to her shoulders in the water cause my cousin? I don't remember if it was my uncle or cousin who was adjusting but they're like nah your fiiiiine and I was like no the heck I'm not and start like trying to climb my way up the rope attached to the chair. They moved the chair a bit, then I spun a bit and had my back to the side of the boat and I kicked something. I'm not saying it was a shark but I kicked something with like smooth wet skin, almost slippery? I don't know it was hard to describe I'm pretty sure it was a seal. But I accidentally kicked it, and i freaked the hell out. My cousin started to do the finding Nemo shark bait chant then, and no one has let me live it down.


	3. When's the Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Banter. It's all just banter because I can't handle emotions right now.

“I think that those cards solved the problems. But I’m going to ask my dad’s about my past.”

“But umm, Adam, would umm, would you be up for coming with me. I don’t think I’m strong enough to do this on my own. And I know that I’ve gotten to know you a lot recently, like on a deeper level, but ummm, I-” Adam cuts him off since it was getting painful to watch. 

“I would be honored. Lead the way brave knight.” 

“Stoooop.” Shiro whined. Muttering under his breath in Kem. 

“What was that? I didn’t quite catch it.” 

“Nothing dear,” he chimed, reveling in the blush it brought to Adam’s own face. 

They’d ventured farther from the center of the Capital the blazing sun scorching their paths. Adam felt another headache coming on. One related to the visions. He stalled, feigning needing to catch a break from the heat but trying to reel in the intensity of the vision. He saw a far away future of powerful magic and one trauma after another. Then something different something more teasing in nature that had him thankful for the looseness of the wraps the people of Kem seemed to prefer, that would have been hard to hide beneath the tighter confines of his scholar slacks. 

Shiro too seemed lost eyes darting to the caravan and its occupants just out of reach. They had an elder still, one Shiro had presumed dead but had never sought out. Had never had the courage to face. He promised himself that if he could survive this encounter with Ulaz and Thace then he could work up the confidence to approach his old elder. 

“You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen where you live. You always come visit the Holts.” Adam said, eyes distant as he looked at the buildings stretching to the edge of the valley, the canyon walls stretching higher with each step closer.

“Oh, I guess you're right.” Shiro hummed. “I think it’s because I never know if someone will be home. We all have very different schedules. I don’t usually know my dad’s schedules until after Mrs. Holt decides what we’re doing.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah the Blade despite all its advances is still trying to get used to communicating with one another in a quicker manner.” 

“I bet that's something the scholars could work on with them. There's a lot of research in making communication more accessible. You could suggest it to Kolivan,” 

“That's actually a great idea. But I still hope we can work with the birds.” Shiro says softly watching as a flurry of hawks zip by overhead.

“I’m sure we could continue to keep the birds in play. Maybe make them moving signals? That way the transponders can connect anywhere in Kem, well anywhere that the birds fly over.” Adam paused. “You know. I think I prefer the avians you have in Kem over the ones in Altea and the Neural Territories. They’re kind of mean.”

“I mean these ones are trained, and can attack if provoked.” 

“Okay, but do they start hissing at you and chase you if you so much as look at them wrong?”

“Huh?” 

“Like I said we have mean birds.” 

“Eww. I hear the one in Daibaazl are interesting. They have a wide variety of them. Granted their lands are split in climates, but still. I’ve always wanted to see a flamingo.” 

“Of all birds, why a flamingo?”

“It’s pink. And they have great balance. I could learn a thing or two. One arm always throws me off. I over balance with it.” 

“You are something else Takashi,”

“Why thank you Adam, I try.” 

“What other animals did you want to see?” Adam tried, noticing that they were making their way to parts of the Capitol he wasn’t familiar with. 

“Well, Keith likes hippos, I wanted to see one, or find something hippo related for him. He’d tell me I’m a dork but I want to make him smile again. There are days he seems fine and others when he just shuts down completely.” 

“Have you talked to him about it? I’m assuming he cares deeply for you. And just from the way you talk about him I know you care deeply for him too.”

“I haven’t but Adam, I would die for him. He’s my little brother and he means the world to me. He’s already been through enough. If I can prevent anymore trauma from going his way I’m sure as hell going to try.” 

“You seem to rely a lot on your heart. You lead with your head, but you follow your heart and what it knows to be right and just.” 

“I guess…” Shiro trails off, nose scrunching. 

“I mean, I guess I’ve always felt slightly more in tune with the nature around me than my friends and coworkers. It’s like the wind has a song. I can hear it sing sometimes, I can feel the push and pull of the currents. Like it’s watching my back. I’m pretty sure that has saved my life more times than I can count. But that's normal right?” 

Adam pulls a face, eyebrows drawing together and mouth parting slightly, seriously? 

“Shiro, I don’t know if its normal for the people of Kem but thats not human or Altean behavior.” 

“Oh,” He stalls, pausing in front of one of the many houses. 

“Just oh?” Adam teases. 

“Yeah… ummm, well welcome to my house, I’m not sure what the state of everything will be but-” Shiro sucks in a breath. “Actually nope I can’t do this. I can’t ask them this.” 

“Ask us what,” Ulaz asks leaning against the doorway, smirking when shiro screams. Adam burst out laughing, feeling his marks glow briefly before he could contain them. He stopped abruptly, tense, but relaxing when Ulaz made a “I won’t tell” gesture. 

“You can’t just do that. I like my heart where it is thank you very much.” 

“Karma’s a bitch.” Thace grumbled from behind his mate. Shiro gasped in horror. 

“How dare. That's it, sorry adam no tour today. The rest of the day is canceled. I’m too embarrassed to go on.” 

“Alright drama queen you can leave, but I’m staying.” Adam declared walking past Shiro, dipping his head when walking past the mates in thanks. 

“That’s it my life is over,” Shiro grumbled.

“I think he gets it from Kolivan,” Thace muttered, dodging when Ulaz swung an arm at him. 

“Don’t let him hear you say that he’d be appalled to have this be his legacy,” Ulaz grunted head tilting towards Shiro who was sulking. 

“I know I’ve only just met you, but honestly, where have you been all my life,” Adam murmured in wonder. 

Shiro just rolled his eyes, heading to grab refreshments. 

“Shiro, I like this one. Don’t let him go.” Thace said to him in the archaic dialect they often held true to. 

Said male smiled and returned to the main dining area to wait for Ulaz and Adam to return from the quick tour. 

“You know, it’s not fair. I wish the guest houses had one of those.” Adam said. 

“I’m sure if you ask Kolivan he’d gladly have some installed.” 

Adam’s eyes grew wide in terror. “I could never.” 

Ulaz just laughed before sitting down at the table and motioning for Adam to do the same. 

“So if I heard correctly you two had something you wished to discuss with us?” Thace began, while sitting. 

Shiro just stared at the table. Adam not so subtly kicked him under the table. 

The look of betrayal on his face was priceless. 

“Oooh, I’ve always wanted to plan a wedding,” Ulaz clasped his hands together. Whether he thought that was what was happening or if he wanted to embarrass Shiro the world may never know. 

“”Wait- you- no” Shiro’s face burned. Adam also blushing. Because well he knew stuff that Shiro didn’t. 

“I’m not sure how different the wedding ceremonies are here but I think shiro would look great in a dress,” Adam offered willing to play along. 

“Not you too,” Shiro moaned. 

“Oh, you don’t want that that’s fine I don’t mind. I can wear the dress. Want to go shopping for one later,” Adam asked Ulaz. 

“I’ll take care of the venue and the decor,” Thace supplied, sharp canines glinting in his lethal smile. 

“Tell Kolivan I died honorable, I’ll be burying myself alive it’s been nice knowing you,” Shiro made to stand and leave. Face glowing. He paused when he felt Adam lace his fingers through his own. 

“Okay, okay, sorry I’ll calm down.” Ulaz promised. Shiro visibly relaxed sitting again not letting go of his hand. 

Shiro sucked in a breath, not knowing if he could go through with this. He felt a presence in the back of his mind and felt ease wash over him. He let that quiet strength fill him and prepare him for his next words.

“I want to know about who I am, and where I came from.”


End file.
